Bring us together
by Equestrian-Lily
Summary: ...Good ol’ Aerith. Always there. Always kind. No matter what, she still manages to bring us together...But doesn't she have her own feelings and thoughts? When she's left alone who can save her...who can protect her?
1. Chapter 1

_** Bring us together **_

_**Leon x Aerith.**_

_**A/N:**__ My first Kingdom Hearts fic. Please read and review. I want to know what you think. More chapters will be posted soon._

_My muse randomly said 'let's write a Kingdom Hearts story. I have absolutely no ideas but heck, let's try it.' So I apologise if it doesn't make a lot of sense and seems confusing. . _

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Kingdom Heart or Final Fantasy VII or VIII. They belong to Square Enix. This is purely for fun._

_**Theme for this story:**__ The Walk by Imogen Heap_

** ('.' ) ('. ') ( '.') **

Aerith watched in agony as the insults were thrown through the air like a ball. For each offensive comment thrown out, there was a more hurtful and violent comeback thrown in return. She didn't even know what had started the argument. _It's my fault, isn't it? It always is._ She swallowed her tears and tried to control her breathing in hopes that they wouldn't notice how their words affected her.

'Selfish arrogant brat Leon snapped.

'Cold hearted, egotistical bastard.' Yuffie screamed in return.

'You're all just a bunch'a dim-witted kids. You wouldn't even be 'ere without me.' Cid yelled at the both of them, his cigarette long forgotten.

'How would you know old man?!' the ninja continued. 'You probably woulda died without me to look after ya!' she laughed coldly.

'You? _You_? You don't do anything except get in the way! You useless brat! You don't cook or clean or shop. You're hardly helpful- to any of us!' Leon's spontaneous reply ceased her laughter.

'Maybe not, but neither do you!' she turned on him, her hands on her hips. 'You just leave without a care in the world and go around chopping things up with your stupid gunblade thing!'

'At least I don't steal everything valuable in sight and try to convince everyone that it was someone else or sit in front of the computer, smoking and making a mess all day.' The fierce warrior rounded on Cid.

Aerith held herself, squatting helplessly in a corner. She felt to chilly breeze whisper past her, screaming its own anger at the loud voices that broke its calm course from the mountains. _Why are they arguing? It all started out as such a lovely day. Everyone seemed so happy._ She closed her eyes and covered her ears as though that could stop all the hurtful words that the breeze carried. She slowly began counting to ten. _1…2…3…4_

'Not a single one o' ya does anything around the house.' Cid yelled, pulling out a new cigarette to help ease his mental strain.

Aerith squeezed her eyes shut tighter as her eyelashes grew heavy and wet. She pulled her knees in tighter and pressed harder on her ears. She let out a choking sob, unable to hold back the pain she felt. Their words were like blades. They dug deeper and deeper into her with each assault. _5…6..._

'…_except you._' a new voice whispered behind her. She felt a cold hand on her bare shoulder. She whirled around, finding nothing behind her other than the white washed wall. She felt like a bundle of nerves and was as taught as a bowstring.

'…_you do so much for them…'_ the eerie voice continued. It sounded so familiar. '_…so, so much. But they don't care. They don't even see your pain. They ignore your feelings, your hard work, you…_'

Aeriths breath became shallow and irregular. 'N-no. They do…they do care.' She whispered in return. But now that her thoughts were out in the open she couldn't stop the coil of doubt that rose from deep inside her like a cobra snake, rearing it ugly head whenever she was most insecure. All the warmth she had felt before in the afternoon sun had suddenly disappeared and the temperature was dramatically dropping. But the three didn't notice. Their harsh words continued to fly back and forth between them.

'…_but don't you see? They still haven't even realised that you're even here._' The cold whisper mocked her, acting like it cared. She shook her head, trying to clear the voice. _…7…8…9…_she attempted to continue her counting but found the voice was still there, the cold hand still on her shoulder, burning her delicate skin. '_You can't ignore me. No one can. Either make a stand now, make then see you or just die. Die right here. I'm sure the world could use a little more oxygen._' It told her maliciously.

'No.' she countered. 'No. Leave me alone.'

'_Close your eyes little one. Just let sleep carry you away._' It sang to her, a lullaby that was respite from her pain. The different pitches in its voice and different tones gave the essence of an entire choir of angels singing to their child.

'..no…' she breathed, unable to fight it. She never made it to ten.

** ('.' ) ('. ') ( '.') **

Yuffie rubbed her arms against the chill of the air. The evening was setting quickly. She hadn't even realised it. She hoped Aerith would have something nice and warm cooking at home, ready for them the moment they stepped through the door like always. She gave a tiny smile that the other two wouldn't notice. _Good ol' Aerith. Always there. Always kind. At least she'll still be there for me. _Suddenly she remembered. Aerith had been with them when they started arguing. Her eyes widened. Cid stopped insulting her appearance and Leon forgot his insult about her fighting skills mid thought.

Cid glared at her. 'What the hell? What now, brat?' he growled.

Yuffie raised her hands to cover her mouth. 'Aerith.' Was all she said. Shame flared through her. They had all forgotten about the young woman who had been walking with them. She swivelled around, scanning the area while the other two did they same. Similar thoughts and feeling had been going through their minds after she had brought up the name.

The young ninja left the spot she had been standing in for the last hour and rounded the bend. She found a small figure curled into a ball, cradling herself from some unseen enemy.

'Yo! Leon, Cid!' She cried out. The moment they heard her anxious cry everything that had been said in the past hour was forgotten. The can running to her, to Aerith. _No matter what, she still manages to bring us together_. Yuffie slipped an arm around Aeriths sagging shoulders.

'…no…' Aerith breathed. Yuffie looked down at her, just as Leon and Cid rounded the corner.

'What happened?' Leon asked tenderly as he bent down in front of the pink clad young woman. He gently wiped away the tears that had darkened her eyelashes and struck his very heart.

'I dunno!' Yuffie cried defensively, throwing her hands up. She realised that Leon had only honest and pure intentions in his question and lowered her hands. '…sorry.' She muttered.

Aerith collapsed against Leon and shivered. Yuffie rubbed Aeriths cold, bare arm while Leon slipped his own around the woman slim waist, pulling her limp body closer. Cid gruffly pointed to her right shoulder. 'Whas that?' he asked, indicating a dark red burn contrasting brilliantly with her pale skin. 'It looks like a burn…' he murmured, squatting with the other two.

Yuffie hissed. 'hhhhssss! It looks painful.' The men nodded in agreement, for the first time that day. Leon brushed long strands of chestnut hair out of her weary face. As though he had only just realised that Cid and Yuffie were there, he looked up at them.

'We'd better get her home.' He said, his mind completely on the mission of getting their Aerith home safely. To him it was the most important mission he could have, if not the hardest. Again they nodded in agreement. When Leon got like this, he was their leader, no matter the consequences. They knew he would fight for them at the risk of losing his own life. He scooped Aerith up into his arms and passed her onto Cid. Not a single word was muttered. They both knew that if they got into a fight with heartless, Leon couldn't be tied up carrying the girl. Cid however would be able to stand back and let the warrior and ninja fix the problem.

They got lucky this time. Nothing lurked or leaped at them. The breeze that had been so calm to them, yet so angry to the only one who would listen, reflected its pessimistic thoughts from earlier. It now howled in their ears and tore at their hair and clothes, raging around them, scattering the fallen leaves.

It refused to let Leon open the door. He threw his weight at the door while Cid struggled not to get Aeriths long, thick hair in his mouth. The moment they entered the house Yuffie and Leon began the struggle of shutting the door. The white lace curtains that Aerith had placed over the windows blew wildly as the lock clicked. Cid carefully placed the woman on her freshly made bed. Leon and Yuffie walked in after him after they had checked the other windows and doors around the house.

'I thought people looked peaceful in their sleep.' Yuffie said quietly, her tone sombre. 'What does Aerith look like when she sleeps anyway?' She looked up a Leon whose face was tinged with a faint pink, much to his dismay.

'How would I know?' She gave him a sly look when he answered. His voice was just a tad too high and a smidgen to quick. _You may not know, but I bet you want to._ She thought evilly. A sadistic smile crossed her lips. Leon looked at her with annoyance. 'What's with that face?'

'Oh, nothing.' She chirruped.

'Yuffie! Why are you smiling? Are you scheming' Cid chuckled at the anxiousness in Leon's voice.

'Remember what we said about you not scheming Yuffie?' he asked. 'It only leads to someone in tears, eh.' The teenager nodded solemnly but in her mind the gears were turning, her latest plan forming.

'Yes. I remember. It usually ends with Leon in tears.' She gave the warrior a cheesy grin. He glared at her and stormed out of the room.

'Ya see what I mean.' Cid said despairingly, shaking his head. 'Get Aerith into her PJ's OK.' He told her sternly before leaving, closing the door behind him.

'Okie Dokie.' Yuffie said, then turned and pulled Aerith's night gown out of the chest of drawers. She ran to the bathroom and wet s towel to clean her burn. She didn't know anything about healing but she'd had Aerith clean enough of her own burns she was sure she had the just of it. She changed the Aerith into her nightgown and wrapped the damp towel around her shoulder. She pulled the blankets up to just below her shoulder and left the room in search of food.


	2. Chapter 2

_** Bring us together **_

_**Chapter 2 The Lion and the Mouse**_

_**Leon x Aerith.**_

_**A/N: **__Please read and tell me what you think. If anyone knows the fable that I was referring to in this chapter would you be able to tell me what it's called? It would be much appreciated. _

_Enjoy this chapter. Next one soon._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Kingdom Heart or Final Fantasy VII or VIII. They belong to Square Enix. This is purely for fun._

_**Theme for this story:**__ The Walk by Imogen Heap_

** ('.' ) ('. ') ( '.') **

Leon lent back against the hard wooden chair. The weather hadn't let up at all through the night. He detested the howling and moaning of the fierce winds as they buffeted the window panes and rocked the trees outside, casting eerie and frightening shadows across his room. He had grown weary of the constant prickling at the back of his mind.

Fear. That's what it was. Fear for the lost little boy who couldn't find his way in the harsh world and had grown into such a cold and supposedly fearless warrior. Oh how Yuffie would laugh if she found out the great Leon was afraid of something so trivial. But to him, it was the most terrifying thing he knew. That and his feelings for a petite flower girl sleeping in the room next to his.

She was fearless. Not he. She was as sound as a house. Nothing could move her. He had left his bed in search of comfort but found only solitude.

He had pushed open her oak wood door and watched her through the small gap. Now he knew why the ninja had been so suspicious earlier. She must have known that he did this fairly frequently. If anyone ever woke and asked him what he was doing he would always automatically reply that he was doing a quick check of the house because he thought he heard something moving around. Yuffie and Cid would accept that. But Aerith wouldn't. She would stay and look at him, as though looking right into his soul. He would leave quickly, afraid that she'd realise why he was there, afraid she'd understand, afraid that she wouldn't.

The wind was just as strong and loud, if not louder in her room. Leon frowned when he noticed her tossing and turning. She whimpered so softly that he was sure he hadn't heard it at all. But he pushed open her door further and entered the room anyway. Tears streaked her face and the blankets and sheets were twisted and wrapped tightly around her.

He had silently pulled the chair from her desk over to her bedside. He gently stroked her face and pushed the damp hair from her sweaty forehead. At his soft warm touch, she quietened.

Leon felt afraid. The great Lion was so afraid. Of Aerith. The tiny mouse. He smiled slightly at the irony. In fables the mouse was the only one not afraid of the lion and was the only one to help get the thorn from his paw. The lions paw had been so large it could have crushed the little mouse the moment it's purpose had been fulfilled yet it had let the tiny creature live. Why? Had the lion been so desperately lonely that anything would do to fill the lonely void or just one such as the mouse who was courageous and kind in the face of great danger, thinking only of others before itself.

Aerith twisted more into his touch and he felt a prick of electricity spark across his hand from her pale skin. Leon flinched and pulled his hand back to look at it carefully. He held the calloused palm up to the moonlight to inspect the damage but found nothing. He looked down at her with curiosity. _Hell, what was that?_ He thought with surprise. He tenderly placed a light hand on her waist.

Raindrops pattered heavily against the glass. The rise and fall of her chest and the sound of Aeriths breathing lulled him into a trance. His eyes grew unfocused. All the fear he had felt the moment before washed away until he felt her flinch under his hand. He was shocked out of the haze by her sudden movements. The sheets caught under her as she tried to curl up. Her brow twitched as she tossed. Leon pulled her hand into both of her own. He knew she could wake up any moment. She would want to know why he was there. He would ask her what troubled her. She would repeat her question, dismissing his own. He would have an excuse ready for an instant reply. And then he would leave. He'd never figure out what weighed down the mouse. _I think too much about all the bad possibilities. Maybe Aerith's right, perhaps I should lighten up a bit. But I guess it leaves no room should I fall. I can't loose hope if there never was any to begin with. _

Aerith trembled in his hands but again calmed. _What plagues your dreams and keeps you from happiness?_ He asked. Again the tears slipped down her luminous cheeks, like stars falling from the heavens to come crashing into nothing, never to return to where they rightfully belonged.

Leon simply looked at her, unsure, or unwilling to do something that might force him to open up. His internal struggle lasted for a moment before he pulled the small hand in his own to his rest on his face.

_Such destruction. Such pain. So many doors. I'm so confused. Where do I go? Do they care? What are these feelings, these emotions? Who is it that I'm looking for. Home. I'll never return? I can't, can I? Blood. Friendship. Hate. Hearts. Dying worlds. Him…_

The turmoil in her mind nearly overwhelmed him. _What is this?_ He thought with bewilderment. _It couldn't possibly be her thoughts. Is it my own? Oh please don't let it be hers._

_The flowers need to be watered. Why am I thinking of something like that at a time like this. The heartless. What if they return? What if they don't? Would it mean I'll never so Sora and Goofy and Donald again? What about the king or Cloud._

Leon cringed. She even thought of Cloud in her dreams. _She loves him still. I'm a foolish man for thinking otherwise. Her kindness extends to everyone, she makes you feel like she loves you because she loves everyone._ He was about to pull away when images flashed past his eyes. Her memories.

_Tifa standing with some other people, Yuffie and Cid are among them. Cloud's standing next to them, looking as sullen as ever. Why isn't Aerith among them? Falling rocks. Cliffs breaking. There she is. She standing in a field. No. She's in a dilapidated church. Why is there a flower bed in a church? Falling timber. The rocks are still falling. The sky is so dark. The heartless are swarming around them. Don't they realise? Aerith, Cloud and Tifa standing on the cracking fragments of their world. The each stand on their own island, they're so close they can touch each other. The island are slipping away. Cloud grabs Aeriths hand. Good. She'll be safe then. But he can't reach Tifa. He's reaching with all his might. His arms just aren't long enough. He's not going to let her go is he? No…He's letting Aerith go…How could he? He's grabbed Tifa. Cloud looks back to see Aerith collapsing, slipping away from him. He didn't think she could wait and watch while he chose Tifa and expect her to still be there? Stupid. There are tears falling down Aeriths face as the other two call out to her but she doesn't go back, can't go back to them, it's too hard, a fight she doesn't have the strength for. Why did he let her go? How can she forgive him? Doesn't she feel sorrow that he chose Tifa instead of her? There's an immense concrete wall. It so huge I can't see the top. It blocks out the sun and it's so solid…She's so…lonely… Aerith…the smiley, cheerful girl we all lent on is so isolated, and she's done it to herself without us noticing. How could we have noticed when she's always got that stupid smile on her face? _

Leon pulled back in shock. He let the young woman's hand fall back to the bed. 'No.' he murmured, forgetting where he was. 'You can't. You're supposed to be so happy and joyful in all aspects. You can't be this tormented by your memories.'

'_And yet she is.'_ A sinister whisper crept through the dark. '_She keeps you together, helps to heal all your wounds…_all_ of them…But what about her own?'_ The voice cooed like a mothers voice, coaxing her child to sleep. '_You take her for granted. That's not a very good thing you know.'_

Leon stood suddenly and angrily inspected the room. 'I've told you before. Leave me alone. I will not be tricked by your deception and lies.' He whispered harshly. He left the room with one last quick glance at Aerith. 'Leave her alone too. She doesn't need you to wrap around her and hurt her mind any further. Cloud's already done that enough. I won't let you touch her. I'll protect her.'

'_You're too late…I have already begun…_' it hissed after him as he left the room, its words falling on deaf ears.

** ('.' ) ('. ') ( '.') **

Aerith slowly pushed herself up from the bed. She placed a hand over her forehead, an angry throb behind her eyes giving her grief. She groaned as she pushed the covers down. The chill of the morning was made worse by the weather. She felt enclosed and stuffy so she opened the cold shutters. 'When did it get so bad?' she asked the window, hardly expecting an answer. To her surprise, she got one.

'I think it started last night. We only got her early this morning and well, you know how it goes…' Soras voice floated through the window.

'You got lost. Didn't you.' It wasn't a question. Aerith smiled as she lent out the window. She saw the teenager standing underneath with Goofy, Donald and King Mickey behind him. He had his arms raised in a relaxed expression. 'Welcome back!' she said enthusiastically.

'Well, yeah. Anyway, It's good to be back. Don't suppose you've got any food? I'm starvin'!' he admitted, his tummy grumbling.

'Wait a minute. I'll let you in then I'll get dressed.' She chuckled as she closed the window and left her room. She opened the front door that they had walked around to. Held it open for them but was surprised when two extra heads walked through the door. Riku and Kairi followed Sora to the kitchen, never having been to Aerith, Leon, Yuffie and Cid's house before. Aerith closed the door and gave them all towels to dry off with, see as they were dripping with water from the rain outside. She invited Kairi to brush her hair in her own room to which the younger girl accepted greatfully.

'Crazy weather you've got at the moment' she had commented on, which Aerith agreed with.

Aerith led Kairi to her room and gave the red head her brush. She changed while Kairi ran the bristles through her wind tousled straight hair. Aerith took the brush from her when she was done and redid her own long plait.

They returned to the kitchen where they found the others already sitting around the table with knives and forks. Yuffie had gotten up early for once and was sitting in her usual place at the table with her own cutlery. Aerith laughed and grabbed her apron. She turned to the kitchen ready to cook up a storm for their guests.

'So Yuffie,' she began 'What did you eat last night since I couldn't cook for you?' Yuffie jumped from her seat and hugged Aerith, giving her puppy dog eyes.

'Cid made baked beans on toast. They were OK but I couldn't eat much of it because I was worried sick about you.' She lied through her teeth and Aerith knew it. 'I'm so hungry now but are you sure you can cook?' the flower girl was almost tempted to say no and see how the ninja would react. But she held back for the sake of the guests.

'What was wrong with you last night, Aerith?' Goofy asked as he sat patiently for the food to cook.

Aerith smiled and turned her back to the group, pretending to be getting something from the cupboards. 'Oh nothing. I was just a bit tired, is all.' She told him casualy.

'Oh gosh, you sure you don't want any help then?' he volunteered. Donald and Sora suddenly stopped their conversation with Yuffie and screamed.

'NO! Goofy! You can't!' Aerith and Goofy looked at them stupefied by their reaction.

'Well, I ah, mean…' Sora began.

'You can't cook for nofing!' Donald finished crossly.

'Oh golly, you're right.' Goofy looked saddened by the news. Aerith took pity on the large dog creature.

'Don't worry Goofy. I'm fine.' She gave him a quick reassuring squeeze around the shoulders and continued cooking.

** ('.' ) ('. ') ( '.') **

Just as she was about to serve bacon and eggs to the seven hungry person sitting at her table, Leon walked through the kitchen door, sweaty from having finished training.

'Where the heck did you lot come from?' he asked as he pulled his coat off. He noticed King Mickey smiling at him and corrected himself, taking the time to count how many of them there were. 'I mean, where did you…one, two, three, four, five…six come from?'

Aeriths mind buzzed out of focus when he began counting. She paled and began trembling. 'six…seven...eight…nine…' she mumbled under breath.

'_...ten…'_ the slimy whisper breathed down her neck. The moment it hissed the last number she whirled around, dropping the plate she was holding. It shattered at her feet as she covered her mouth with fear and shame.

'Aerith!' Leon cried, aiming his gunblade at her. Yuffie grabbed her ninja stars from the drawer next to her while the key blade wielders summoned their weapons.

'DUCK!' Yuffie shouted at her. Aerith didn't have time to react before she found the stars whizzing past her. She felt Fira singeing her hair as it brushed past her.

She couldn't register anything they said. The stars and magic were absorbed by the creature that grew in front of her.

'_one two three four five six seven eight nine ten_!' the black blob cried in ecstasy. '_One two three four five six seven eight nine ten!_' The whispers had increased tenfold and were now nearly a scream. It's form solidified. A towering woman stood before her. She had long ebony hair with streaks of ivory. Her long black nailed finger came to stroke her face.

'tut tut. You are such a _pretty_ girl.' The woman told her. 'Why do you hide it behind such hideous clothing.' She smiled when felt Aerith tremble underneath her hand. 'Come with me and you'll be lonely again.'

'Run Aerith!' Mickey cried at her, keeping his keyblade raised. 'This was why we're here! We had to find this woman before she was able to create a solid form! Before she could hurt anyone! But now she is possibly more dangerous then Maleficent!'

The woman crossed her arms proudly. 'Why thank you. It never did like that witch. It's a compliment to know you think I'm worse than that old hag. You can call me Smoulderess. But you'll have to excuse me if I get right to business.' Her eyes flickered to Aerith. 'I'm on rather a tight schedule.'

Aeriths mind forced itself into auto pilot against her wishes and obey the king. She shot through the door and out in the street. The witch chuckled and flew out behind her. The girl had barely made it ten metres down the path before she was surrounded with a thick pearly mist.

'You'll thank me for this later on.' Smoulderess' voice hissed directly behind her. She turned to see her friends running out after her, Leon leading them. Cid had gotten out of bed and was joining them too.

Her eyes widened when she felt her skin burning all over. _I know why she calls herself _Smoulder_ess now._ She thought before a scream forced it's way up and out of her throat. The burning was tearing her sanity to shreds. If it didn't stop soon she wouldn't be able to hold on. She wouldn't be Aerith. She wouldn't be the flower girl. She wouldn't be the little mouse. _His_ little mouse.

The mouse was always afraid the Lion would one day grow tired of being the companion of such a pest. But the mouse was so afraid that something would force it to leave the lion. Something that would separate them forever. But it wouldn't allow that. The lion wasn't fearless. But it was the most courageous and gentle creature it had ever known and little mouse knew that the Lion would protect it whenever another dangerous creature appeared. If something did happen to his friend, the Lion would die to make sure they were safe.

_**A/N: **__A friend said she wanted to Sora in this story. He'll be back soon and so will the others but maybe not in the next chapter._


End file.
